When you're first starting out…
- Music Recording Software Free Trial Version
- Music Recording Software
- Music Recording Software Free Trial No Watermark
- Music Recording Software Free Trial
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It's fair to say that not many guys will commit to the expense of a pro DAW….
Without first 'getting their feet wet' with some free stuff…
To see if home recording is something they'll actually enjoy.
And if that sound like you right now…perfect.
Because in today's post, I'm going to show several great ways to help get you started…
With my list of the Top FREE Recording Software Options of 2017.
Let's begin…
The 3 Best Options…
After days of in-depth research on this subject, what I discovered is that newbies basically have 3 FREE options to choose from:
- Online Recording Sites
- Free Downloadable DAW's
- Included DAW's that come with an audio interface
And while all of these are technically free, truth is…NONE of them are 100% free.
Because while the software itself may be free…to use it, you still have to spend some money elsewhere. If not now, then eventually.
So the new question I began asking was:
Which of these solutions offers the best features for the lowest OVERALL price?
And here's what I discovered:
Option 1: Online Recording Sites
At first glance, the benefits of online recording sites seem promising…
- All files get stored in the cloud.
- Social sharing is built-in.
- You don't need to bother with software licenses or downloads.
But once you look a little deeper, it's also not hard to see the many downsides:
- Unreliable Internet – All internet connections drop out occasionally, which could easily rob you of good recording takes.
- Questionable Content Rights – Even if current 'Terms and Conditions' give ownership to the creator, as Facebook and other big sites have shown, those rules are always subject to change.
- Freemium Business Models – Many top sites bait you with a free signup…but ultimately charge monthly fees for full use of the product. And over time, those fees add up to more than the cost of a professional DAW. And that's absurd.
So while it does have its advantages, online recording clearly isn't good enough to pay for.
And while I'm sure there are some musicians who have had success with online recording…I've honestly never met any of them personally.
So personally, I would avoid these sites in general. And I would especially avoid any sites that charge you anything.
Of the truly free sites though, here are two that look pretty promising:
NOTE: If you want to try online recording, but you don't have a laptop yet, check out a Chromebook.
If you aren't familiar with them yet, Chromebooks are the laptops designed by Google that work solely as an internet browser.
Macbook os x 10 7 download free. Because the stripped-down design uses no native applications, their price point is significantly cheaper than standard laptops.
Do you win real money on house of fun. And since you only need a browser for online recording, these two options compliment each other nicely.
Here's an example: Acer Chromebook – (Amazon).
Up next…
Option 2: Free Native DAW's
While they're slightly harder to learn, at first…
Native DAW apps avoid ALL the major problems associated with online recording…
While offering far more in functionality.
Apple mac applications free download. In my opinion, the extra time invested in learning them is well-worth it.
And I definitely recommend them over online recording sites.
The top 4 DAW's I recommend are:
- Audacity – the most popular 100% free open-source DAW software on the planet for many years now.
- Garageband – the super-cheap, (though not technically free) DAW for Mac OSX, which many folks say is easier to learn than Audacity.
- Presonus Studio One 3 Prime – the first totally-free DAW based on professional software.
- Pro Tools First – the newest beginner version of Pro Tools 12.
Of the 3, Studio One and Pro Tools are my top picks. Because once you outgrow the free version (and you will)…
It's far easier to upgrade to a paid version of the same DAW, rather than start over with an entirely new platform.
Since Studio One 3 comes in 2 paid versions:
…it's super easy to upgrade from the FREE version if and when you ever need to.
And you can upgrade to Pro Tools 12 (paid) here.
Now finally…for the best option of all…
Option 3: Free DAW w/ Purchase of Audio Interface
Earlier I mentioned how no recording software is ever truly free.
And that's mostly because, you still need either:
- an audio interface, or…
- a USB microphone
…to actually get sound in and out of the computer.
So here's a thought:
Since you need one anyway, why not buy one that includes a free DAW superior to any of the earlier ones we covered?
Not many companies offer this deal…so the only one I can really recommend is Presonus.
(Avid does this as is well, but their interfaces are a little too pricey for most beginners).
With the following interfaces, Presonus includes Studio One Artist as part of the package:
- PreSonus AudioBox USB – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
- Presonus AudioBox 22VSL – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
- Presonus Audiobox 44VSL – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
Because the both hardware and software is built by one company, you're ALWAYS guaranteed full-compatibility and tech-support…which you DON'T get when you buy them separately.
That's why I believe the 'DAW/interface combo' is the absolute-best-option for anyone starting out with home recording.
Further Resources
To wrap up this post, here are a few useful articles to help you find the other tools you'll eventually need to start your studio:
1. Cheap Studio Mics
To record sound into your audio interface, you obviously need a mic.
And even though some pro microphones can be insanely expensive, there are plenty of cheap options as well.
In this post, I show you several of the best:
Music Recording Software Free Trial Version
2. USB Mics
As I mentioned earlier, USB mics offer a cheap and simple shortcut to record sound directly into your computer…
Because they eliminate the need for ALL other hardware, including audio interfaces, mic preamps, and headphone amps…
Which gives you way more free DAW options as well.
If this sounds like a good fit for you at the moment, check out this article to see which ones I recommend:
3. Monitoring
Now that you can get sound IN to the computer, next you'll need a way to get it OUT.
The tools you need are: studio monitors and headphones.
And in these next two articles, I reveal some good cheap options for both:
4. Accessories
And finally, here are the two essential accessories you'll need to complete your setup:
After that, you're all set to start making music.
It's amazing how many free Digital Audio Workstations (DAW for short) are available these days for recording, creating, editing and mixing music from a simple home computer setup.
When I first started getting into recording music from home, I thought it was pretty much required to spend a few hundred dollars (at least) on music recording software, but it turns out that's not the case at all.
In fact if you're a beginner just starting out, you're much better off not buying a DAW right away.
It's better to test a few different DAWs at first, some free versions and demos, to find out what fits your style and workflow the best.
There's nothing worse than spending several hundred dollars on software that you later find out that you don't like, so it's important to take some time when it comes to choosing a DAW.
If you're looking for a new DAW or are just starting out, here's a list of the best free Digital Audio Workstations that are currently available to download and try out.
Pro Tools First
Pro Tools has been one of the top Digital Audio Workstations for a long time. https://lit-free.mystrikingly.com/blog/how-do-you-find-downloads-on-your-computer. It is used in many professional studios and is considered the industry standard in some circles. But Pro Tools also receives a lot of criticism for the way Avid chooses to handles things.
Avid released a completely free version of Pro Tools earlier this year called Pro Tools First. It has a lot of good things going for it, with a couple of significant drawbacks. The free version is a great way to try out Pro Tools without having to commit to spending a fortune on a full license or a subscription plan.
Here's a comparison chart that lists the differences between the free and paid versions of Pro Tools.
Pros
- Supports recording 16 mono/stereo audio and instrument and MIDI tracks.
- Supports ReWire.
- Comes with Xpand!2, a virtual instrument plugin with 1000's of built-in sounds for drums, strings, pianos, loops, synths, etc; plus over 20 Pro Tools plugins are included.
Cons
- Plugins can only be purchased through Avid's marketplace; you can't install plugins from outside sources.
- Supports just three projects at one time.
- Projects are stored in the cloud (with offline caching).
Studio One 3 Prime
The other big-name free DAW up for the taking that works with Mac and PC computers is Studio One Prime. Unlike most other free DAWs it offers unlimited audio tracks, MIDI tracks, buses, and FX channels. The main limitation is you can't load 3rd party plugins with the free version because there is no VST support—and that's a pretty big issue.
The $99 PreSonus AudioBox USB audio interface comes with a free download of Studio One 3 Artist, which sells for $75 separately. It's a step-up from the free version and adds a number of additional features, but VST and ReWire support costs an extra $79 as an add-on.
Here's a comparison chart at PreSonus listing all the different features between each version of Studio One.
Pros
- Impressive interface and workflow, with advanced multi-track editing and comping, automation, and full MIDI support.
- Supports unlimited audio tracks, MIDI tracks, buses, and FX channels.
- It comes with 9 high-quality effects, including Ampire, Beat Delay, Chorus, MixVerb, EQ, Presence XT sampler, etc.
Cons
- No VST plugin support.
- Just one virtual instrument included.
Podium Free
One of the better options for a free DAW is Podium Free, the freeware edition of Podium. It's a fully-functional DAW for Windows that supports recording and editing audio and MIDI, and it can load VST plugins as well.
Pros
- VST plugin support.
- Identical to the commercial version of Podium, with a few limitations.
- Can download and use freely, registration optional.
Cons
- Windows only.
- Plugin multi-processing is disabled on free version.
- ReWire and 64-bit mixer engine disabled on free version.
Tracktion T5
If you truly want to go the free DAW route, Tracktion 5 is one of the best options. It's not encumbered by the usual limitations like other brands. It's a fully-operational DAW, complete with VST and ReWire support and unlimited tracks. T5 also supports automation and it has audio comping, latency management, track freeze, MIDI learn, and more.
Pros
- Supports unlimited VST/AU plugins and ReWire.
- Unlimited number of audio and MIDI tracks supported.
- Works with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Cons
- Single window user interface.
- Less overall features than the big name stuff like Pro Tools First.
DarkWave Studio
DarkWave Studio is another freeware DAW that is available for Windows. It's designed with an emphasis on creating electronic music. It supports VST and VSTi instrument and plugin effects. DarkWave Studio features a modular approach and it comes with a bunch of bundled plugins.
Pros
- VST plugins supported.
- Multi core & multi CPU support.
- Regularly updated.
Cons
Music Recording Software
- Windows only.
- Not well known, not much info.
Reaper
Reaper is a popular DAW that's loaded with tons of features and a very user-friendly license policy. There's an older free version of Reaper available, v0.999. It hasn't been updated in 10 years and won't be updated again, but it still has a number of useful tools for recording and editing music.
However, it doesn't really make any sense to even bother with the free version of Reaper because the full version only costs $60. Don't let the price fool you. It's a full DAW with the same level of features as the expensive stuff. Plus it has a 60-day trial period to demo the full software.
Additional Options
Audacity – It's not a DAW precisely but Audacity is highly-capable open source audio software for multi-track recording and editing—it even supports VST plugins. It works with Windows, Mac, and Linux and it's free.
Music Recording Software Free Trial No Watermark
LMMS – While it does not offer any type of external audio recording, LMMS is free open-source software for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It comes with some included effects and instrument plugins. It supports MIDI and 3rd-party VST plugins.
Music Recording Software Free Trial
Ableton Live Lite 9 – A fully-functional DAW that's main limitation is it only supports 8 tracks/scenes. It's not free exactly but it does come free with a number of MIDI and audio interfaces. One of the best and most capable free software add-ons if you can get a hold of it.
MuLab Free – A free version of MuLab that supports four tracks and eight VST plugins per project. Works with Windows and Mac OSX. https://download-myi.mystrikingly.com/blog/who-makes-cod-modern-warfare.
Ardour – A fully functional DAW for OSX and Linux. It's not free but it can be purchased for as little as $1.
Wavosaur – Wavosaur is a free audio editor and audio recorder program that supports wav and mp3 files. Wavosaur can install VST plugins for real time effects processing. The program is freeware for Windows computers.
